UW System Clipsheet

"UW acts to eliminate roadblocks," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb.6.

An innovation hothouse like Madison's University Research Park will be a part of every school in the UW System if a new Board of Regents task force meets its expectations. Aiming for sweeping change, UW System President Kevin Reilly said Friday he's pulling together a high-profile group to uncover roadblocks that need to be removed and incentives that need to be put into place to move more university research into the hands of Wisconsin businesses and start-up companies. The task force, called Research to Jobs, will include many of the state's top technology transfer experts and be led by Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the state's deep-pocketed technology transfer organization...

"UW Regents approve $7.1 million, partly from MU renovation," Badger Herald, Feb. 8.

An extra $7.1 million was approved Friday toward the construction of the new Union South, bringing the total cost of the project to $94.8 million. Associate Director of Wisconsin Union Hank Walter said the Union Council, which oversees the project, was faced with the choice of scaling back the Union South project or increasing the budget with funding from other sources...

"UW System tuitions rise, grants frozen," Daily Cardinal, Feb. 9.

The UW System Board of Regents discussed increasing tuitions, decreasing endowments and a larger-than-expected budget for the construction of the new Union South at a meeting Friday. UW System President Kevin Reilly announced Friday funds totaling $700,000 from over 30 UW System endowments will be suspended from distribution because their values have dropped...

"Millions will go into parking, roads at university," Kenosha News, Feb. 7.

The largest construction project ever on the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus just got a little bigger. By adding $2.83 million in parking and road reconstruction projects to the Communication Arts Building remodeling and addition plans on Friday, the UW Regents brought the spending total to $38.6 million...

"Aid letter triggers warning," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 8.

Parents of Wisconsin college students have been receiving official-looking letters urging them to pay $49 to apply for financial aid, but the mailings are actually from a private business that charges money for information available online for free. Parents who received the mailings from College Financial Advisory in recent weeks might be fooled by its formal appearance into thinking the fee is mandatory. The letter has a government-like seal, personal information about where the student attends school, and warns of a March 31 deadline to fill out an aid profile...

"UW restarts multimillion dollar computer project," WISC-TV, Feb. 5.

The University of Wisconsin System is moving ahead with a new computer program to manage its payroll and benefits for employees after already spending $26 million on a previous failed effort.The university has budgeted $8 million just to plan for the massive and complicated conversion from a system that's been in place since 1975. There are no estimates yet for how much the project will cost or how long it will take...

"Students protest to freeze tuition in harsh economy," Daily Cardinal, Feb. 9.

Members and advocates of the United Council of UW Students gathered Saturday outside the Student Activity Center to rally against the potential rise of tuition in the UW System. Despite the windy weather, students from over half of the 26 UW campuses promoted the 2009-2011 Statewide Biennial Budget Campaign. Autumn Prazuch, a sophomore at UW-Marathon County, said the group’s main objective is to persuade the state Legislature to freeze or lower tuition...

"Biomass boiler to be installed in Madison plant," WISC-TV, Feb. 7.

Gov. Jim Doyle said he wants to install a new biomass boiler at a coal-burning power plant in downtown Madison by 2012. The state agreed last year to reduce coal use at the plant under a settlement to stop a federal lawsuit over pollution at the plant. The Charter Street Power Plant helps heat and cool the University of Wisconsin-Madison...

Video: http://www.c3ktogo.com/news-video/?mgid=20900

"Doyle: No coal at UW by 2012," Badger Herald, Feb. 9.

In an effort to better the environment, the University of Wisconsin’s Charter Street heating plant will no longer burn coal, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Friday. A biomass boiler will be installed by 2012, which will produce 250,000 tons of biomass each year, supplying UW with steam for heating and cooling, according to a statement from Doyle...

"Citizen panel tells candidates: These are the major issues facing La Crosse," La Crosse Tribune, Feb. 8.

The campaign to be La Crosse’s chief executive hasn’t strayed much so far from talking about the familiar troubles — property taxes, jobs and economic development...Candidate and city employee Gary Padesky agreed that La Crosse’s college students get a “bum rap,” and he would like to scrap the public intoxication ordinance he thinks only has pushed drinking into uncontrolled environments...Perhaps it’s a short in the connection between the universities and the business community, said Johnsrud...

"Madison clinic's approval of later abortions activates opponents," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 7.

Opponents vowed to keep fighting a University of Wisconsin-affiliated surgery center's plan to provide second-trimester abortions in Madison, despite its final approval Friday. The Madison Surgery Center board's private vote was the last needed for the plan to move forward. It followed earlier votes at UW and Meriter hospitals. The center could begin offering the service in weeks or months, UW Health spokeswoman Lisa Brunette said...

"UW-Stevens Point names student who died in fall," Associated Press, Feb. 9.

The student who died after being found unresponsive in the stairway of a University of Wisconsin-Steven Point dorm was a 19-year-old freshman from Fredonia. Vice chancellor of student affairs Bob Tomlinson says Andrew Woods may have fallen down some stairs in Thomson Hall early Saturday morning. Tomlinson says there is no indication of foul play in Woods' death...

"UWS professor chosen to fight genocide in Darfur," Superior Telegram, Feb. 5.

A University of Wisconsin-Superior professor has been chosen for a national fellowship to teach about fighting genocide through community organizing. UWS political science professor, Khalil “Haji” Dokhanchi, is one of 20 nationwide to get the Genocide Intervention Network Carl Wilkins Fellowship. Dokhanchi has been crusading against genocide for years...

"UW-P raising engineering tuition," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 9.

After years of stagnant enrollments while the numbers of students at other University of Wisconsin campuses continued to grow, UW-Platteville began planning a program to attract more Iowa and Illinois students to its engineering and technology programs...

"Blind lecturer accuses Parkside of discrimination," Kenosha News, Feb. 8.

A blind, award-winning lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has filed discrimination grievances against the university alleging rampant unequal treatment, and has filed a lawsuit to release paperwork that, she says, will prove her case...

"Davies Center changes almost finalized," The Spectator, Feb. 9.

The UW-Eau Claire campus can expect to see a makeover in the coming months, with a new Davies Center and additional outdoor changes on the way. Junior student body president Tim Lauer has been part of the planning process for the new Davies since July. He thinks the new student center will benefit the campus in many ways...

"Kicking butts off campus: Area colleges tackle smoke-free options," La Crosse Tribune, Feb. 8.

...The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse debated going smoke-free a few years ago, but the effort faded after two strong advocates of the policy left campus, said Carmen Wilson, special assistant to the UW-L chancellor. All UW-L buildings already have at least one entrance where smoking within 20 feet is prohibited, she said...

"UW-Manitowoc's Palmer receives Kaplan honor," Manitowoc Herald Tribune, Feb. 8.

Kathy Palmer, the continuing education director for the University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc, was recently recognized with the Arthur M. Kaplan Award for her contributions to the campus...

"Our view: Educational opportunities good for area," Editorial, Wausau Daily Herald, Feb. 8.

A mid the bleak economic news of recent weeks we have two points of light for Central Wisconsin residents. Two institutions of higher learning, Upper Iowa University and Rasmussen College, have disclosed plans to add to the educational opportunities already available in the Wausau area...These developments, coming at this time, are important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that education is a significant force in driving economic development. Put simply, people who hold college degrees typically generate more economic activity than people who don't -- they make more money, spend more money and pay more income taxes. Those who don't believe in the value of a college degree need to think again...

"New office created to deal with federal stimulus," Associated Press, Feb. 9.

There are many questions about what happens with the billions of dollars headed to Wisconsin under a federal stimulus plan in Congress. To help answer those questions, and smooth the process for distributing the money, Gov. Jim Doyle created a new state office. The Office of Recovery and Reinvestment is headed by Gary Wolter, president and chief executive officer of Madison Gas and Electric Co. He is being assisted by Alan Fish, vice chancellor of facilities, planning and management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison...

"State's technical colleges humming as economy goes flat," Wisconsin State Journal, Feb. 8.

There are more students with gray hair and mortgage payments attending Blackhawk Technical College this semester, part of a large influx of people crowding the halls and classrooms of the small community college south of Janesville. The college experienced a 34 percent increase in enrollment from last spring semester to this spring, with many students driven there by lost jobs and pay cuts. It was the biggest increase in the state, but most technical colleges are seeing a similar phenomenon. And officials say this may just be the beginning of a huge wave of people seeking a new livelihood at community colleges in the face of a slumping economy...

"Visions with Mark Bugher: Remove barriers to tech transfer," Wisconsin Technology Network News, Feb. 9.

This interview with Mark Bugher, director of Madison's University Research Park, was conducted as the Tech Council's report on the economic value of academic R&D was released. WTN: Do you expect the Legislature to take these recommendations seriously in the current economic environment? Legislature operates based on delivery, I think that when they see the university delivering meaningful results as a result in the public investment in the university and the research activities on campus, they will be much more willing to reciprocate with some of these public-policy issues, which I think are important to continue the entrepreneurial climate that we have...

Full story: http://wistechnology.com/articles/5459/

"NML grants $4.5M for education," Business Journal of Milwaukee, Feb. 6.

The Northwestern Mutual Foundation plans to invest $4.5 million in community education initiatives in the Milwaukee area. Planned grants by the foundation include $2.5 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, $1 million to the Marquette University Law School and $1 million to Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc...

"Skeptics say billions for education won't stimulate economy," Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 13.

A stimulus bill working its way through Congress would help thousands of students pay for college and could give colleges money to fix crumbling buildings. But would spending billions of dollars on education really kick-start the economy? That's the question many legislators and policy experts in Washington were asking last week as the U.S. Senate debated the roughly $900-billion measure... (paid subscription required)

"Senators cut billions of dollars for colleges from their stimulus bill," Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 9.

Billions of dollars that had been set to go to colleges for construction and to states to help limit budget cuts to higher education have been struck from the Senate's economic-stimulus bill, which is expected to pass early this week. The Senate measure retains a plan to increase the maximum Pell Grant by $681 over two years and continues to allocate significant amounts of money to science, including $10-billion for biomedical research. It also keeps a $2,500 tax credit for tuition... (paid subscription required)

"The Senate sheds education aid," Inside Higher Ed, Feb. 9.

...A compromise amendment worked out by moderate Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate late Friday slashed billions of dollars that would have flowed to colleges and universities in the Senate’s original version, with the biggest cuts coming in education aid to states and funds to modernize college facilities...

"Pension shortfalls put pressure on strained university budgets," Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 13.

With the stock market in decline, college pension plans are losing money, and administrators are scrambling to cover the shortfall... (paid subscription required)

"Gordon Gee says colleges face 'reinvention or extinction'," Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 9.

Severe economic pressures have created a defining moment for colleges and universities, which must fundamentally reinvent themselves to survive, E. Gordon Gee, president of Ohio State University, said on Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Council on Education... (paid subscription required)